ASU Women’s Basketball: Returners finish M&G Madness with exciting win

(Photo: Brooke Faber/WCSN)

Just as they did in the 2014-15 season, the Arizona State women’s basketball team ended the Maroon and Gold scrimmage in exciting fashion.

With time winding down in the one-minute overtime period, Katie Hempen passed the ball to a wide-open Elisha Davis in the corner, who nailed a three-pointer as time expired to win the game for the black team.

Davis led all scorers in the scrimmage with seven points, including the first bucket of the season for the Sun Devils. Davis looked right at home running the offense and showed off the handles that ASU fans have come to know her for.

Despite Davis’ respectable performance, the ASU offense looked rusty in its first live action of the season, albeit a very brief 10-minute scrimmage, but head coach Charli Turner Thorne isn’t the least bit rattled.

“We were forcing on offense,” Turner Thorne said. “But it was good, we’re gonna talk about it. When the lights turn on and people are watching you, it can’t just be your show. We’re better than we showed offensively. It’ll be something good to talk about.”

Katie Hempen, the Sun Devils’ leading scorer from a season ago, failed to get on the board at all, but was solid on defense throughout the scrimmage.

Sophie Brunner and Kelsey Moos, the Sun Devils’ other returning starters, both contributed with buckets of their own, including a nice and-one from Moos through some hard contact.

Peace Amukamara, who figures to start in place of her graduated sister Promise, drove the ball well and hit on a few close-range shots, but showed some impatience as well, throwing up ill-advised shots in the process.

As for the newcomers, Armani Hawkins and Charnea Johnson-Chapman had the biggest impact.

Hawkins, the little sister of senior guard Arnecia Hawkins, displayed her athleticism on a big block on the 6-foot-4 center Quinn Dornstauder. Hawkins also showed high-level speed and quickness moving up and down the court, so it will be interesting to see how Turner Thorne is able to work that athleticism into the lineup.

Johnson-Chapman showed promise down low as she hit a nice turnaround jumper over Brunner. ASU was the smaller team in many of its matchups last season, so having another big body in the lineup with definitely help the Sun Devils.

Although is was a decent showing from the ASU newcomers, the Sun Devils were still without the services of 6-foot-1 freshman Kianna Ibis, who is about eight months removed from suffering a complete ACL tear.

The Sun Devils are taking things slow with Ibis, but Turner Thorne is excited about what the young forward can do when she’s finally fully healed.

“We definitely don’t want to rush her,” Turner Thorne said. “We don’t want to risk anything with her…but she can be exciting for you guys.”

“We’re very rusty basketball-wise, but I feel like mentality-wise and leadership-wise we’re right there,” Turner Thorne said. “But it’s been a long offseason for us. I think we did a good job.”

The Sun Devils will have a while to get into regular season form as they open up the season against a Kentucky team that finished last season ranked no. 16 on Sunday, November 15th, at 3:30 p.m. in Tempe.

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